Robin Harmon The Game of Life: Assisting Students in Becoming Strategic Players

DID YOU KNOW Teens brains are not an empty house needing furnishing, but are more like houses that need framing, walls, wiring and a roof. They are like blueprints The BRAIN, not hormones, is to blame for the inexplicable behavior of teens. Short- term memory increases by about 30% during adolescence. The activities teens invest their time and energy in influence the activities they’ll invest in as adults. Teens are ruled far more by their emotions and logic.

Terms to Know Neurogenesis – the production of brand new brain cells…it is the raw material for learning. Neuroplasticity- the capacity of the brain to make physical changes as a response to environmental input Dopamine -controls the flow of information to other parts of the brain and is connected with the pleasure system of the brain. This means that it provides feelings of enjoyment and reinforcement which motivates us to do or to continue doing certain activities. Cortisol- TOXIC to the BRAIN and BODY – higher levels of chemical produced when body is stressed. Allostasis -occurs when we reset our brain’s thermostat (our “set point” ) for metabolic functions (brains are not fixed) Hippocampus – seahorse shaped and controls memory; highly influenced by stress chemical cortisol Myelin-fatty substance made of Glial that insulates neurons and speeds the travel of information between cells. Glial cells are the glue that binds cells together (90% of brain) Neurons – learning cells work together with Glial cells (other 10%)

STRESS Is a physiological response to a PERCEPTION of a Lack of Control Over an Aversive situation or Person

Adolescence IS… Transition stage between childhood and adulthood Researchers use the age span of years It is not Puberty – puberty refers to the hormonal changes that occur in youth. Period of rapid and intense brain growth – the largest growth since infancy and is followed by a period of Pruning lasting until mid-late twenties!

Adolescent Tasks Often accomplished sub-consciously: Developing an identity independent from their parents in order to break away from them and then to re-establish themselves as their parents’ peers. Coming to terms with emerging sexuality Coming to terms with the NEED to work Developing a philosophy of life and a value system upon which to make decisions.

Bethany,18 “Knows” Everything Matt, 16, can’t remember anything

Chronic or Acute Stress Yikes! Cuts neuron production by 50%

USE IT OR LOSE IT!

Pruning Process Time of great vulnerability Brain goes through the process of pruning to rid itself of synapses that go unused and strengthening the ones that are used! CRITICAL TIME FOR ADOLESCENTS 11-14

Pruning Process During this overproduction dendrites and synapses (gray matter) multiplying like crazy. Synapses continually used will flourish; those that are not used will wither away. It’s “Use it or Lose It” in action. The choices teens make are critical and they need support and guidance!

Teens Brains Aren’t Broke …They’re still under construction! Critical time for the Adolescent Brain If they have trouble sitting still and concentrating in school it’s because their brains aren’t finished. They can’t act like adults because they can’t think like adults. They NEED ADULT Interaction

Teens Brains Aren’t Broke …They’re still under construction! When Synapses are generated through experiences and learning, Myelin, a fatty substance made of glial, is produced to insulate neurons.

A Secret Revealed…. Any information teens use and learn in school will be hardwired in to the brain’s structure (good or bad) and anything they ignore will lose its priority! ( Sheryl G Feinstein Secrets of the Teenage Brain, 2009)

This is a Guarantee: Smart Purposeful and Targeted Instruction Will Change the Student’s Brain. This makes your students Appear “Smart ” You have a choice… Which will it be???

What were you thinking……?

OLD WAY: Same content and more repetition… or…? SMARTER WAY: Buy-in, engagement and feedback

Student Achievement with Low vs. Highly Effective Teachers Source: William L. Sanders, Senior Research Fellow, University of North Carolina (Sanders and Rivers 1996) Low-achieving students gain an average of 14 percentile points with the least effective teachers. By contrast, the most effective teachers produce average gains of 53 percentile points with low-achieving students 14pts 53pts WithWith LeastMost EffectiveEffective TeachersTeachers

Brush Off Old Classroom FAV’s Robert Marzano, 2001 Have students write a summary of lesson- requires them to delete, substitute, and retain knowledge as the analyze information. Identify similarities and differences: brain stores by similarity and retrieves by differences. Write metaphors and analogies Present material non-linguistically – knowledge stored 2 ways (visually or non linguistic) Create and Test Hypothesis Reinforce Effort Provide Practice Facilitate Cooperative Learning Provide Feedback Start and reinforce lesson with cues, questions, and organizers.

What Drives Positive Changes in the BRAIN? Experiences that are: Persistent Contrasting Meaningful Positive Consistent

A Secret Revealed…. TEENS need to move! Sedentary classrooms are not the way to improve academic programs at schools. The cerebellum plays a crucial role in coordinating thought processes and making decisions. It is the “motor center” of the brain.( Adapted from Sheryl G Feinstein Secrets of the Teenage Brain, 2009)

“Brains are changed by experience. If kids are not improving at school, WE have to change their every day experiences until they do change. Maybe we can work together to better target the changes we need to see.”

Seed the work environment with small tweaks and “nudges” that will prompt the desired behaviors. Build new habits with action triggers, pictures, signs, and postures.

You have much more to do with how your students turn out than you previously thought

More Energizers Stretching Celebrations Review using memory strategies Partner walk Switch sides of room/change groups

URGENT One immediate clear step in the right direction is worth more than all the grand planning. START NOW and start with something!